Komische Oper Berlin "Orpheus"

As the end of the opera season approaches in Berlin (breaking over Summer), the Komische Oper Berlin opened their final revival production on Friday night (23.06.2017): Monteverdi/Kats-Chernin's "Orpheus".

Care of theoperaplatform.eu

The production originates from 2012 and was the first production of Barrie Kosky's Intendanz. In fact, it was the first show of his Monteverdi Trilogie: all three Monteverdi Operas performed in one day! It is a very colourful and lively production, with a set resembling the Garden of Eden. 

Care of www.komische-oper-berlin.de / Photo: Iko Freese

Monteverdi's score from 1607 re-tells the classic tale of the singer/musician Orpheus travelling into the underworld (Hades) to rescue his love Eurydice, who was bitten by a snake. Through the guidance of Amor (Love), Orpheus charms the guard to Hades (Charon) by singing him to sleep and continues to the centre and pleads with the God Pluto, to return his love. Pluto accepts, under the condition that Orpheus not turn his gaze towards her while leaving the underworld. As per the myth, Orpheus cannot resist, and not trusting that she is following, Orpheus turns back and Eurydice is lost to the underworld forever. 

Care of www.komische-oper-berlin.de / Photo: Iko Freese

Monteverdi's score has been re-orchestrated and re-imagined by Australian composer, Elena Kats-Chernin (similar to "Poppea" - see blogpost here) and is wonderfully exotic and diverse. Conducted in 2017 by Matthew Toogood, it is quite a difficult production to coordinate musically, as there are five various orchestras positioned around the theatre, and the chorus sings not only onstage, but in true surround sound around the stalls of the auditorium. 

Care of www.komische-oper-berlin.de / Photo: Iko Freese

Reprising the title role is Ensemble Baritone Dominik Köninger, and Kammersänger Peter Renz returns as Amor. All other singers are new to the production: Talya Liebermann as the fated Eurydice, mezzo-soprano Maria Fiselier in two roles as Sylvia and Proserpine, and bass Önay Köse as the guard Charon and the God Pluto. The Chorus of the Komische Oper Berlin are a major part of the opera, as are the dancers and Puppeters. 

With only four more performances, it is worth booking tickets as this show often sells out. 

 

Kaffee in Berlin series: #14 Café Friedrich

Café Name: Café Friedrich

Care of www.cafefriedrichs.com

  
Address: Mierendorffpl. 2, 10589 Berlin

 
Google Maps: Maps

 

Transport (BVG): 
U7 (Mierendorffplatz)  
Bus M27 (Mierendorffplatz)

Website Link: Café Friedrich

Coffee selection: Espresso, Macchiato, Americano, Cappuccino, Milchkaffee, Caffe Latte, Hot Chocolate

Coffee sampled: Cappuccino with extra shot

Cost: €2,50 + €1,00 extra shot

Extra Shot: €1,00

Taste: Satisfyingly strong, full dark body.  

Wait-time: Table service, attentive without being disruptive.

Friendliness of Staff: Polite.

Facilities (Toilets): Yes.

Ambience and Seating: Large outdoor seating area on a street triangle. Inside very spacious and clean.

Dogs allowed inside: NN

Leitungswasser (Table water) provided: Only when asked for.

Wifi: NN.

Hint: Selection of fresh cakes to accompany coffee will satisfy most German's "Kaffee und Kuchen" requirements. The cheese cake was particularly delicious.

General remarks: I visited at a rather off-peak time, which meant that the Café was almost deserted. However I can imagine that when the University Semester is on, being opposite the UdK (University of Arts) means that it is thriving with University students. 

Score: 8,5 / 10

Kaffee in Berlin series: #13 FILTER

Café Name: FILTER

Address: Rosenthaler Strasse 51, 10178 Berlin

Google Maps: 

 
Transport (BVG): 
U8 (Weinmeisterstrasse)  
Tram M1 (Weinmeisterstrasse)
S5, S7, S75 (Hackescher Markt) 

Website Link: Filer-Berlin

Coffee selection: Filterkaffee

Coffee sampled: Didn't bother

Cost: €3,00 - €3,50

Extra Shot: Any shot...?

Taste: Why waste time. 

Wait-time: None. No customers.

Friendliness of Staff: Polite.

Facilities (Toilets): Yes inside.

Ambience and Seating: Very clean and aesthetically pleasing design, with a nice outdoor courtyard setting to boost enclosed by historically berlin factory brick.

Dogs allowed inside: Yes

Leitungswasser (Table water) provided: Yes, on tables.

Wifi: Yes.

Hint: There are packages offered for business to use the space for hours or days, and in the mornings a coffee and coissant for passers-by. 

General remarks:I should qualify my tone for this review, as I had not actually taken in (or noticed to be more precise) the name of this place. I actually walk past the sign on the street most days, and what led me to follow it into the courtyard was "Bonanza coffee", which I do like. But when I asked for a cappuccino and was very apologetically informed that they only serve filter coffee, I knew that this place was not for me. Equally at €3,50 for filter coffee (I have great disdain for this trend) I'm afraid my own Bialetti Moka Espresso was beckoning me. Everything else had the potential for a great place, but filter coffee.... no.

Score: 3,5 / 10

Care of www.filterkaffee.berlin

 

Kaffee in Berlin series: #12 Röststätte Berlin

Café Name: Röststätte Berlin

Care of pro-macchina.com

Address: Ackerstrasse 173, 10115 Berlin
(Near Rosenthaler Platz) 

Google Maps: Röststätte Berlin

Transport (BVG): 
U8 (Rosenthaler Platz)
Bus 142 (Torstrasse/Tucholskystr or Rosenthaler Platz)
S1, S2, S25 (Oranienburger Strasse)

Website Link: Facebook

Coffee selection: Filterkaffee, Espresso Macchiato, Americano, Cappuccino, Cortado, Flat White, Latte, Iced Black, Iced Latte

Coffee sampled: Cappuccino

Cost: €2,80

Extra Shot:

Taste: Rich, creamy espresso blend. Very satisfying and fresh.
 
Wait-time: Though the cafe part is quite small, one can usually get a table either inside or out on the street, or occasionally can spill into the espresso machine shop area. (There is also a whole shop area dedicated for coffee lover courses). 

Friendliness of Staff: Very polite, multicultural, and efficient. 

Facilities (Toilets): Possibly one of the smallest toilets that you can find, but stylish and clean nonetheless. 

Ambience and Seating: Very stylish and smart layout. The coffee making area specifically, but for such a small space it is very well designed. Lounges, tables, benches and window seating. Plus outside on the street (a narrow, short street). Daily newspapers for perusal.

Dogs allowed inside: Yes

Leitungswasser (Table water) provided: Yes, from a specific filtered water tap next to the barista machine.

Wifi: Yes, ask at the counter. 

Hint: The Cortado is similar to an antipodean style Café Latté (less milk than a cappuccino, served in a glass). 

General remarks: One of my favourite and regular places. Take-away quite efficient with Keep-A-Cups available for purchase. Their Arabian coffee beans are fair-trade ethical and roasted on site. 

Score: 9.5 / 10

Care of www.foursquare.com

Komische Oper Berlin: The Coronation of Poppea

The Komische Oper Berlin is one of three opera houses/companies in Berlin. Historically the mandate was a "house for the people", meaning that all the works were translated into and sung in German. More recently the house has expanded into a greater repertoire, with lesser performed russian and french works being presented. The Komische Oper Berlin's other great focus has been pushing the boundaries of direction and how traditional operas are presented. 

In the case of Monteverdi's "The Coronation of Poppea", the music from the 1600s has been radically modernised by Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin to include modern and electronic instruments. What this achieves is a far greater sound palate, with which to accompany the drama onstage, led by conductor Matthew Toogood (coincidentally also Australian, but Berlin based). The drama created by intendant and director Barrie Kosky (rounding out ironically the Australian trilogy here) is extremely clear, distilling the complexity of the story and characters, and captures the raw emotions of the piece: eroticism, danger, murder, lust, wisdom, infatuation, and more. An ancient Roman thriller, where essentially everyone except the two main protagonists is murdered. 

A great advantage of the Komische Oper for foreigners is that each seat has an individual surtitle screen, which can display the real-time sung text in either German, English, French or Turkish. Tickets are extremely well priced (starting at €12), and at the conclusion of the performance one is even gifted a complimentary chocolate. 

There are only two performances left of "Poppea" - tonight 26. May at 7:30pm and 3. June at 7:30pm.

Here is Elena Kats-Chernin discussing her re-writing of the work for 2017:

Kaffee in Berlin series: #11 Kaffee 9

Café Name: Kaffee 9

Address: Eisenbahnstraße 43, 10997 Berlin
(Markthalle Neun)

Google Maps: Kaffee 9 

Transport (BVG): 
U1 (Görlitzer Bahnhof / Schlesisches Tor)  
Bus 140 (Wrangelstrasse)

Website Link: Facebook

Coffee selection: Filterkaffee, Espresso Macchiato, Americano, Cappuccino, Flat White, Latte, Draught Coffee, Iced Black, Iced Latte

Coffee sampled: Cappuccino

Cost: €2,60

Extra Shot: €0,40

Taste: Smooth blend, ever so slightly watery, no bitter after taste.

Wait-time: On this particularly visit, surprisingly no wait time (even though midday).

Friendliness of Staff: Polite and efficient.

Facilities (Toilets): None as part of the Cafe, but next door inside Markthalle Neun

Ambience and Seating: Rustic chairs and tables, offset by rather trendy open space with floor to ceiling windows. Lots of space with varying table sizes. Essentially three shops transformed into one big space.

Dogs allowed inside: Yes

Leitungswasser (Table water) provided: Yes, collect from same place as coffees. 

Wifi: Not sure. 

Hint: Try the Anzac Biscuits (not technically called so, but essentially the same)  

General remarks: Didn't realise that one has to wait to collect coffees after ordering (no table service), but overall a solid choice, particularly good if meeting in larger groups (adequate seating and tables).

Score: 8.5 / 10

Kaffee in Berlin series: #10 Update

Kaffee in Berlin series (Coffee in Berlin) 

has been a very slow yet ongoing process for this blog for a number of years. In fact, usually when visiting another city, one of my first inspirations for a blog post is a recommendation of where to find good coffee. 

As such, I have decided to give myself a small challenge for a couple of reasons. 

Firstly, it was with great disappointment yet deep understanding that at the end of 2016 the owners of "Antipodes" on Fehrbellinerstrasse decided to make a life change and close what had become our antipodean sanctuary for the past six years. 

While we have a number of coffee shops to which we are loyal, Antipodes was not just a place to drink fantastic coffee, rather it fostered a community, and as such a significant history of our Berlin routine focused around this particular cafe. 

Secondly, while I like having a record of our history in Berlin, so many of my posts have only remained as drafts, due to not having dedicated enough time to refine them. As such there are huge (and I mean scarily huge) timeline gaps on this blog. I am keen to rectify this. 

Thirdly, I shouldn't be surprised at myself, but I really, REALLY like coffee. I'm not an aficionado or expert on where the beans have come from, and I don't go in for stupid craves (I could go on a rather offensive rant about the filter-coffee fad, but I wont ... yet). But I am very particular about what I recommend as good coffee and there is enough coffee-snob in me to actually forgo drinking coffee at the risk of consuming something unacceptable.

As such, my focus for the next few weeks and months, is to seek out, experiment and visit as many new coffee houses and cafes in my local Berlin habitat, and use a concise formula for reviewing and recommending for those looking for a good cuppa. If you are interacting with this blog, please feel free to leave a comment or a suggestion of where you think a good espresso/cappuccino is to be found.

Let's get the espresso steaming!